Many straight-haired people look on afros with jealousy. It may seem difficult, but it is possible to train your straight hair into a luxuriously full afro by getting a perm. You can also do it at home by braiding your hair. Perms create more of a tightly curled afro look, while the braiding method will give you an afro with more kinks in the hair. [1] So the best way to decide which method is right for you is to decide what kind of style you want to achieve.

Steps

Method1

Getting Started

1

Select the style you want for your afro hair. Once you know the look you are going for, you can figure out the best way to try and achieve it. You will want to figure out if your desired style will require you to grow or trim your hair. If so, it is better to trim your hair beforehand so you have less hair to transition into your afro look.

2

Trim or grow your hair to the desired length. To create an afro with straight hair, it is best to start with at least 4-6" of length.[2] Your hair needs to be long enough to braid or put in curlers. If your hair is longer than 12" in length, you may want to trim the hair if your goal is to achieve an afro that stands up.

3

Wash your hair with your regular shampoo. Rinse your hair thoroughly. It is important to start with clean hair that is free of natural oils. Clean hair will also make it easier to work with your hair when putting it in braids or rollers.

Method2

Perming Method

1

Get a perm at a salon. Observe the techniques the stylists use. Watch how they put the curlers in your hair. Note how long the chemicals are being applied. With this information, you'll be able to get a perm kit at the store and safely give yourself a perm at home.

2

Request the smallest possible curlers. Your stylist will use a series of plastic curlers to give you a perm. Small curlers are best to create the tightest afro. If the curlers are too big, your perm will only achieve a wavy look instead of the afro look you are going for.

3

Wait a few days to allow the perm to settle. Don't wash or comb your hair for a day or two immediately after your perm. Letting the perm settle will help the effects of the perm to last longer and keep your hair healthy.

4

Comb out your curls with a wide-toothed pick comb to separate the curls. The goal is to loosen up the curls just enough to make it possible to backcomb.

You can also use your fingers to gently separate the curls.

5

Rat out the curls by backcombing with a fine-tooth comb. This will further separate the curls and give your hair a fuller afro look.[3]

Hold a small section of hair taut with your fingers. Smaller sections will make for greater volume in your hair but will take a bit longer to do.

Use a fine-toothed comb to gently comb the hair downward toward your scalp. Use just enough pressure to create some tangles, but not so much that the hair breaks.

Repeat until the section has the desired volume.

6

Style your afro. Ditch your combs! Shape your afro hair with your hands and a pick comb. Only apply hairspray to help it hold if needed. Since curly hair tends to get dry, you can apply shea or coconut butter regularly to help keep your hair moisturized and glossy. [4]

Method3

Braiding Method

1

Part your hair into at least 6 or 8 even sections, going from your forehead back to your neck. Use a comb to achieve a precise part. Working with hair that is slightly damp might make it easier as well. You can use hair ties or clips to hold the sections as you create them.

2

French braid each section of hair. Ask for help if you have a hard time French braiding your own hair. Two sets of hands will help speed up the process. Depending on how many sections you decide to braid, this step could take several hours, so you might appreciate the help and the company.

If your braid is thicker than a half inch, you need to section off your hair in smaller widths. A braid that is too thick will only achieve wavy hair. Make smaller sections of tighter braids to give yourself the fullest afro possible.

3

Wet your hair again and apply styling product. A volumizing mousse or setting lotion will help to create firm, long-lasting curls.

To simplify this step, you can make a solution of 20% setting lotion or gel and 80% water and saturate the braids with the solution.[5]

4

Cover your hair with a satin scarf until dry.

Start with wet or damp hair before bed, and you will be ready to finish your afro when you get up in the morning.

If you don't want to wait, you can use a hair dryer to dry the braids faster.

5

Remove the braids. Make sure the braids are completely dry before taking them out. If your hair seems tangled, apply a moisturizer like shea or coconut butter to the remaining braids to make the rest of the process easier.

6

Tousle your hair with your fingers. If you have long hair, bend over and let the weight of your hair and gravity help the process. Your hair should appear much more curly than before.

7

Divide each of the six or eight sections into four individual sections with a fine-toothed comb. Do this one section at a time. Creating smaller sections to backcomb will help to create greater volume than larger chunks of hair.

8

Backcomb (tease) each of the four sections of hair gently until you achieve your desired afro. Use a fine-toothed comb and brush your hair gently from the tip to the scalp to separate the hairs from the section. This will create tangles in the hair that will give your afro more volume. Repeat until your hair has the desired fullness.

Do not use too much pressure when backcombing. You don't want the hair to break.

9

Set with styling product if needed. A little hairspray is all you need to hold your afro in place. You can carry a pick comb around to keep your afro detangled and looking fabulous everywhere you go.

Community Q&A

Yes if you had previously permed your hair. As your hair grows over time, you get "new growth", which is the hair closest to your scalp, which also has you natural hair texture. Ccut the hair that has already been permed (this is the hair that is away from your scalp) a little bit at a time until your natural textured grows back to the desired length.

If this question (or a similar one) is answered twice in this section, please click here to let us know.

Tips

If you choose to use products, try to use natural ones that won't damage your hair.

If you want the "cornrow look," you need to section off your hair into smaller sections and French braid them.

If you have coarse or extra dry hair, rub a few drops of jojoba or olive oil in your hair to keep it soft.

If you want to extend the life of your perm, avoid shampoos with silicone. Only use shampoos and conditioners made for chemically-treated hair.[6]

Sleep with your hair loose and don't comb it for a few days. You can also leave it in cornrows for a week, not too tight or too loose.

Warnings

Don't experiment with products of which you are unsure.

Both permanent waves and backcombing can do harsh damage to your hair.

Take extra care with wearing cornrows long-term (though overnight should be fine). If you do not have enough sebum coming out of your scalp to do it safely naturally, you need to use an oil (such as an oil or jojoba), and quite a bit, in order to be safe! If you do not, your cornrows will contract when you wet them while swimming, out in the rain, or bathing/showering. This can lead to severe skin irritation and in extremely rare cases your scalp tearing.